After Three Years, Not Everyone Favors On-Court Coaching – Sam Stosur Comments

Written by: Staff on 24th February 2012

After Three Years, Not Everyone Favors On-Court Coaching - Sam Stosur Comments

Australia's Fed Cup tennis player Samantha Stosur serves a ball during a training session in the Forum Arena in Fribourg, Switzerland, 31 January 31, 2012. Switzerland will face Australia in the World Group 2 first round. EPA/PETER KLAUNZER |

On-court coaching has been again brought sharply into focus at this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships but three years after the WTA allowed players to receive tactical advice or emotional reassurance during the course of a match, several leading players refuse to buy into the concept.

US Open champion Samantha Stosur has never called her long-time coach David Taylor onto court and never intends to break the trend. “I just don’t agree with it,” said the Australian. “I like tradition and tennis is supposed to be an individual sport. You can’t do it in a Grand Slam and those tournaments are the biggest ones we’ve got. I think if you got to work things out through those, then you should almost be working that way throughout the year.

“To make yourself a better player then you’ve got go through these situations. That’s the way it was and should be. It’s tradition and long may it last.”

Jelena Jankovic is another who has vowed to face her problems alone. The Serb is working with a newly appointed coach this year, German Henner Nehles who has no real WTA experience but is a graduate of the University of Nevada. But he will not be called onto court. “I kind of tried to stay away from it and figure things on my own and try to win the matches,” said the former world no.1.

“It’s true, in women’s tennis the players rely more on coaches or their entourage. I think men are a little bit focused more on themselves and don’t really look up to the player box as much as the women do. I used to look up into the coaching box all the time but really I was almost looking for a miracle to fall from the sky.

“But really, it’s up to me. It’s a battle between me and the other player, and I have to figure out a way to win. The coach cannot take the racket and perform for you. You still have to produce those shots and you still have to think through what you’re going to do and perform. You have to do the right things at the right time.”

Topics: Dubai Duty Free Championships, Samantha Stosur, Wta